34 Amendments of Kathleen VAN BREMPT related to 2023/0081(COD)
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) To fulfil those commitments, the Union must accelerate its pace of transition to clean energy, notably by increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy sources. This will contribute to achieving the EU targets of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan for 2030 of an employment rate of at least 78% and participation in training of at least 60% of adults. It will also contribute to ensuring that the green transition is fair and equitable, leaving no person and no place behind 34 . _________________ 34 Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality, adopted on 16 June 2022 as part of the Fit for 55 package.
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The net-zero transformation is already causing huge industrial, economic, and geopolitical shifts across the globe, which will become ever more pronounced as the world advances in its decarbonisation efforts. The road to net zero translates into strong opportunities for the expansion of Union’s net-zero industry, making use of the strength of the Single Market, by promoting rapid and sufficient investment in technologies in the field of renewable energy technologies , electricity and heat storage technologies, heat pumps, grid technologies, including technologies enabling fast and bi-directional charging of electric vehicles, renewable fuels of non- biological origin technologies, electrolysers and fuel cells, fusion, small modular reactors and related best-in-class fuels, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technologies, and energy-system related energy efficiency technologies and their supply chains, allowing for the decarbonisation of our economic sectors, from energy supply to transport, buildings, and industry. A strong net zero industry within the European Union can help significantly in reaching the Union’s climate and energy targets effectively, as well as in supporting other Green Deal objectives, while creating jobs and growth.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The Union’s decarbonisation objectives, security of energy supply, digitalisation of the energy system and electrification of demand, for example in mobility and the need for fast recharging points, require an enormous expansion of electricity grids in the European Union, both at transmission level and at distribution level. At transmission level, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems are needed to connect offshore renewable energies; while at distribution level, connecting electricity providers and managing demand-side flexibility builds on investments in innovative grid technologies, such as electric vehicles smart charging (EVSC) and the potential of improving system ingtegration while reducing costs for users through bi- directional charging, energy efficiency building and industry automation and smart controls, advanced meter infrastructure (AMI) and home energy management systems (HEMS). The electricity grid needs to interact with many actors or devices based on a detailed level of observability, and hence availability of data, to enable flexibility, smart charging and smart buildings with smart electricity grids enabling demand side response from consumers and the uptake of renewables. Connecting the net-zero technologies to the network of the European Union requires the substantial expansion of manufacturing capabilities for electricity grids in areas such as offshore and onshore cables, substations and transformers.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) To achieve the 2030 objectives a particular focus is needed on some of the net-zero technologies, also in view their significant contribution towards the path to net zero by 2050. These technologies include solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies, onshore and offshore renewable technologies, battery/storage technologies, heat pumps and geothermal energy technologies, electrolysers and fuel cells, sustainable biogas/biomethane, carbon capture and storage technologies and grid technologies. These technologies play a key role in the Union’s open strategic autonomy, ensuring that citizens have access to clean, affordable, secure energy. Given their role, these technologies should benefit from even faster permitting procedures, obtain the status of the highest national significance possible under national law and benefit from additional support to crowd-in investments. When necessary in order to achieve the objectives of this Regulation, the Commission should, if appropriate, supplement the strategic technologies listed in this Regulation, by adopting delegated acts.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 a (new)
Recital 20 a (new)
(20a) Net-zero technologies will be of key importance to ensure that the Union meets its objective under the European Green Deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector by 90 percent by 2050. Furthemore, the decarbonisation of transports achieved through net-zero technologies and the swift phasing out of fossil fuels will also deliver significant benefits for human health and the environment in terms of reduced fossil-fuels induced pollution in the air, soil and water.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) Households and final consumers are an essential part of the Union’s demand for net-zero technologies final products and public support schemes to incentivize the purchase of such product by households, in particular for vulnerable low- and lower middle-class income households and consumers, including those suffering from transport poverty, are important tools to accelerate the green transition. Under the solar rooftop initiative announced in the EU solar strategy52 , Member States should for instance set-up national programmes to support the massive deployment of rooftop solar energy. In the REPowerEU plan, the Commission called Member States to make full use of supporting measures which encourage switching to heat pumps. Such support schemes set up nationally by Member States or locally by local or regional authorities should also contribute to improving the sustainability and resilience of the EU net-zero technologies. Public authorities should for instance provide higher financial compensation to beneficiaries for the purchase of net-zero technology final products that will make a higher contribution to resilience in the Union. Public authorities should ensure that their schemes are open, transparent and non-discriminatory, so that they contribute to increase demand for net-zero technology products in the Union. Public authorities should also limit the additional financial compensation for such products so as not to slow down the deployment of the net-zero technologies in the Union. To increase the efficiency of such schemes Member States should ensure that information is easily accessible both for consumers and for net-zero technology manufacturers on a free website. The use by public authorities of the sustainability and resilience contribution in schemes targeted at consumers or households should be without prejudice to State aid rules and to WTO rules on Subsidies. _________________ 52 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions : EU Solar Energy Strategy, COM(2022) 221 final, 18.05.2022.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 57
Recital 57
(57) The environmental assessments and authorisations required under Union law, including in relation to water, air, ecosystems, habitats, biodiversity and birds, are an integral part of the permit granting procedure for a net zero technologies manufacturing project and an essential safeguard to ensure negative environmental impacts are prevented or minimised in line with the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle. However, to ensure that permit granting procedures for net zero technologies manufacturing projects are predictable and timely, any potential to streamline the required assessments and authorisations while not lowering the level of environmental protection should be realised. In that regard, it should be ensured that the necessary assessments are bundled to prevent unnecessary overlap and it should be ensured that project promoters and responsible authorities explicitly agree on the scope of the bundled assessment before the assessment is carried out to prevent unnecessary follow-up.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 65
Recital 65
(65) Since strengthening the manufacturing capacity of key net-zero technologies in the Union will not be possible without a sizeable skilled workforce, it is necessary to introduce measures to boost the activation of more people to the labour market, notably women and young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs), including via skills first approaches as a complement to qualifications-based recruitment. In addition, in line with the objectives of the Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate-neutrality, specific support for job-to-job transition for workers in redundant and declining sectors are important. This means increasing investments investing in skills and in quality job creation required for net-zero technologies in the Union. Building on and fully taking into account existing initiatives such as the EU Pact for Skills, EU level activities on skills intelligence and forecasting, such as by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) and the European Labour Authority, and the Blueprints for sectoral cooperation on skills, the objective is to mobilise all actors: Member States authorities, including at regional and local levels, education and training providers, social partners and industry, in particular SMEs, to identify skills needs, develop education and training programmes and deploy these at large scale in a fast and operational manner. Net-zero strategic projects have a key role to play in this regard. Member States and the Commission mayshould ensure financial support including by leveraging the possibilities of the Union budget through instruments such as the European Social Fund Plus, Just Transition Fund, European Regional Development Funds, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Modernisation Fund, REPowerEU and the Single Market Programme.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
ba) good working conditions in all jobs in net-zero technology industries.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) ‘net-zero technologies’ means renewable energy technologies66 ; electricity and heat storage technologies; heat pumps; grid technologies; renewable fuels of non-biological origin technologies; sustainable alternative fuels technologies used for maritime and aviation transports 67 ; electrolysers and fuel cells; advanced technologies to produce energy from nuclear processes with minimal waste from the fuel cycle, small modular reactors, and related best-in-class fuels; carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technologies; and energy-system related energy efficiency technologies. They refer to the final products, specific components and specific machinery primarily used for the production of those products. They shall have reached a technology readiness level of at least 8. _________________ 66 ‘renewable energy' means ‘renewable energy’ as defined in Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources 67 ‘sustainable alternative fuels’ means fuels covered by the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport, COM/2021/561 final and by the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and Council on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport COM/2021/562 final. 'Conventional aviation fuel' as defined in COM/2021/561 final, and conventional fossil fuels used in maritime transports, are not considered as 'alternative fuels' under this Regulation.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point q
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point q
(q) ‘CO2 injection capacity’ means the annual amount of CO2 that can be injected in an operational geological storage site, permitted under Directive 2009/31/EC and in line with the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, with the purpose to reduce emissions or increase carbon removals in energy-intensive sectors with unavoidable CO2 generation, in particular from large scale industrial installations and which is measured in tonnes per annum;
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 70
Recital 70
(70) As part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan the Commission announced its intention to conclude Net-Zero Industrial Partnerships covering net-zero technologies, to adopthelp promote the further development of net-zero technologies globally and, to support the role of EU industrial capabilitiesmutually reinforcing partnerships between the Union and third countries as well as the role of EU industrial capabilities, including know- how and tech-transfers, sustainable investments and technical assistance, in paving the way for the global clean energy transition. The Commission and Member States mayshall coordinate within the Platform the Partnerships, discussing existing relevant partnerships and processes, such as green partnerships, energy dialogues and other forms of existing bilateral contractual arrangements, as well as potential synergies with relevant Member States’ bilateral agreements with third countries.
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) the CO2 storage project fulfils the requirements of the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle in the meaning of Article 17 in Regulation (EU) 2020/852.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 71
Recital 71
(71) The Union should aim to diversify international trade and investments in net- zero technologies and to, forging mutually- reinforcing partnerships, building on partners' own sustainable development plans, relevant environmental and human rights standards while promoteing globally high social and environmental standards. This should always be done in close cooperation and partnership with like-minded countriesdialogue with third countries, in a proactive and respectful manner. Via, amongst others, technology transfers, technical assistance and financial support (such as equity, grants, export credits and other relevant instruments). Similarly, stronger research and innovation efforts to develop and deploy net-zero technologies should be pursued in close cooperation with partner countries in an open but assertive approach, fostering mutual trust, de- risking EU and global net-zero supply chains and boosting the global sustainable just transition.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes the framework of measures for innovating and scaling up the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies in the Union and via mutually reinforcing partnerships with third countries, to support the Union’s 2030 target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % relative to 1990 levels and the Union’s 2050 climate neutrality target, as defined by Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, as well as international climate, environmental and socio- economic objectives, and to ensure the Union’s access toand cooperation towards a secure and sustainable supply of net-zero technologies needed to safeguard the resilience of the Union’s energy system and to contribute to the creation of quality jobsglobal sustainable just transition and the creation of quality jobs in the Union and abroad.
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
ba) The establishment of mutually reinforcing partnerships with third countries, diversifying and de-risking EU supply chains and enhancing the global development of Net Zero Technologies, securing their sustainable supply in the Union and further development abroad.
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) oblige entities holding an authorisation as defined in Article 1, point 3, of Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council71 on their territory to make publicly available all geological data relating to production sites that have been decommissioned or whose decommissioning has been notified to the competent authority. , as well as data on whether transport infrastructure suitable for CO2 to reach the site is available or can be constructed . _________________ 71 Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorizations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons (OJ L 164, 30.6.1994, p. 3).
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) an assessment of each project’s compliance with the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852;
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 a (new)
Article 18 a (new)
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 25 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) promote adequategood working conditions in jobs in net-zero technology industries, the activation of youth, women and seniors to the labour market for net- zero technology industries, and the attraction of skilled workers from third countries, and thereby achieve a more diverse workforce;
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 1
Article 32 – paragraph 1
The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to amend the modalities in which agreements between entities referred to in Article 18(1) and investments in storage capacity held by third parties are taken into account to meet their individual contribution set out in Article 18 (5), as well asto amend the content of the reports referred to in Article 18 (6) as well as to supplement the strategic net-zero technologies in the Annex, if needed to ensure the achievement of the general objective laid down in Article 1(1).
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States shall recognise as net-zero strategic projects net-zero technology manufacturing projects corresponding to a technology listed in the Annex and located in the Union that contributes to the realisation of the objectives set out in Article 1 of this Regulation, is fully in line with the Do No Significant Harm criteria in the EU Taxonomy regulation and meet at least one of the following criteria:
Amendment 197 #
(b) the net-zero technology manufacturing project has positive impact on the Union’s net-zero industry supply chain or downstream sectors, beyond the project promoter and the Member States concerned, contributing to the competitiveness and quality job creation of the Union’s net-zero industry supply chain and the Union's climate and environmental commitments, according to at least three of the following criteria:
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) the net-zero technology manufacturing project has a positive impact on diversifying and de-risking the Union’s net-zero industry supply chain or downstream sectors and enhancing the global development of net zero technologies, securing their sustainable supply in the Union and further development abroad.
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) Technical assistance for projects in the EU and partner countries via, amongst others, the CBAM revenues and the InvestEU Advisory Hub
Amendment 282 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. The Commission and Member States mayshall coordinate within the Platform on the Net-Zero Industrial Partnerships and also with relevant third countries to help promote the adoptionfurther development of net- zero technologies globally and, to support the role of Union industrial capabilitiesmutually reinforcing partnerships between the Union and third countries as well as the role of Union industrial capabilities, including know-how and tech-transfers, sustainable investments and technical assistance, in paving the way for the global clean energy transition, in line with the overall objectives of this Regulation stemming from Article 1 of this Regulation. The Platform may periodically discuss:
Amendment 287 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) how to improve cooperation along the net-zero value chain between the Union and third countries, via, amongst others, exchange of best practices, knowledge and tech transfers, technical assistance and financial support via equity, loans, public-private leverage and instruments like export credit agencies. Adding value and being aligned with partners' own sustainable development plans, relevant environmental and human rights standards while striving for the achievement of the objectives in international standards and conventions;
Amendment 289 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point a a (new)
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point a a (new)
(aa) The socio-economic and environmental impacts of the Net Zero Industry Partnerships in the EU as well as in the partner country;
Amendment 293 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point c – point i
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – point c – point i
i) the potential for mutually reinforcing partnerships, enhancing the sustainable and just transition in the EU and globally, the contribution to security of supply, taking into account their manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and forging reliable reciprocal alliances;
Amendment 304 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 5
Article 28 – paragraph 5
5. Member States shall support the Commission in the implementation of the cooperation measures set out in the Net- Zero Industrial Partnership. Net-Zero Industrial Partnerships will have the objective of facilitatingbuilding stable mutually- reinforcing relationships, sharing best practices, accelerating the development of net-zero projects and facilitating cooperation and trade among participants, including by favouring necessary sustainable investments within the Union and in third countries, enhancing resilience and sustainability of the supportive value chains, and guaranteeing a level playing field.
Amendment 307 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1
Article 29 – paragraph 1
1. The Platform shall be composed Member States and of the Commissionof representatives from the Member States, the Commission, the European Parliament and relevant stakeholders, including representatives from civil society. It shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 7
Article 29 – paragraph 7
7. The Platform shall invite representatives of the European Parliament to attend, as observers, its meetings, including ofand relevant stakeholders, including civil society representatives, to attend the standing or temporary sub- groups referred to in paragraph 6.
Amendment 315 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 8
Article 29 – paragraph 8
Amendment 319 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 11
Article 29 – paragraph 11